Emeli Sande’s headteacher praises Brit winner

THE head teacher of the Aberdeenshire school where pop star Emeli Sande was once a pupil spoke today of how pupils at the secondary had been inspired her double success at this year’s Brit Awards ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.

The former pupil at Alford Academy won the awards for both best British female artist and best British album at the glittering awards ceremony.

Moira Milne, the school’s head teacher said: “Her successes last night and over the course of the last year are just reward for the incredibly hard work Emeli has put in over the years.

“We are all so proud of her. Everyone here at Alford Academy is speaking about her performance last night. She looked and sounded fabulous.”

She continued: “There is a great buzz about the school. I know a few happy tears were shed by staff last night and pupils have said to me this morning ‘Wow, she is such an inspiration to us - it’s great to be an Alford pupil.’

“She is a very talented lady and it is a privilege for us to have such close links with her. We all pass on our congratulations to Emeli.”

The 25-year-old Aberdeenshire-based singer-songwriter has sold 1.4 million copies of her debut album “Our Version Of Events.” She was born in Sunderland and her Zambian father Joel and English mother Diane moved to Alford when Emeli was four years old.